This Week in the News
Bosnia i Herzegovina (BiH)
Muslims in
Europe are isolated and are constantly forced to defend themselves, adjust and
assimilate or else, they are forced to live in the ghetto. The West has granted
Muslims various minority rights, but they still are still unhappy, why? First,
they are not only an imagined minority, but also a real one. Second, societal
behavior toward Muslims has not changed and they are thus still on the margins
of the society, and left to solve their own daily troubles. The West is
realizing too late that this isolation contributes to the emergence of
fundamentalism and terrorism. Terrorists are not telling us that they will live
better in the company of virgins in paradise. Instead, they are telling us that
they want to dye because they cannot live humanely here on earth. Islam, for
many, became a tool of social and political resistance. Women are wearing the
headscarf not solely as a symbol of dignity, no. The headscarf is an image that
symbolizes resistance – a symbol that is provoking. Yet, why, one wonders, is
it so provoking when even Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, wears a
headscarf? Why is covering one’s body thought of as provoking while women all
over Europe display their naked bodies in red-light districts? These days we
are listening to politicians who argue for better and more inclusive
immigration. Angela Merkel even said that multiculturalism and assimilation has
failed. The better question to ask, however, would be if multiculturalism ever
existed? The new generation will plow the way. The third generation no longer
wishes to work on construction sites or shipyards like the first generation,
and they no longer want to live in ghettos like the second generation.
Meanwhile, for those who would like to see Islam disappear from Europe, Bosnia
presents a special problem. The problem with Bosniaks is that they own their
land, a country, while being Bosniak is autochthone with being Muslim. Bosnia
is therefore something of an oddity for Western Europe, and one it will have to
get used to.
BiH authorities
and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to continue negotiations on
May 16th 2012 as was confirmed by the head of BiH’s IMF mission in
Sarajevo, Costas Christou. Christou stated that all he could confirm now, was
that BiH’s authorities showed interest in renewing the IMF program. Before the
talks, BiH’s economic situation must be assessed, then, we can talk about the
new credit arrangements. BiH’s president of the council of ministers Vjekoslav
Bevanda explained that renewing the BiH – IMF partnership was necessary as he
believes that this will be the only way to bring BiH’s finances in order.
Finance minister of the Federation of BiH Anto Krajina stated that he is ready
to cooperate with the IMF. Republika Srpska’s (RS) finance minister Zoran
Tegeltija too agreed to cooperate with the IMF.
“BiH uskoro
započinje nove pregovore sa MMF-om”. Slobodna Dalmacija. Accessed May 11, 2012.
http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/BiH/tabid/68/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/173286/Default.aspx
“Muslimani,
getoizacija ili zbogom”. Al Jazeera Balkans. accessed May 11, 2012.
http://balkans.aljazeera.net/makale/muslimani-getoizacija-ili-zbogom
Serbia
According to
election headquarters in Novi Pazar, Rasim Ljajić’s Social Democratic Party of
Serbia (SDP) received the most votes during the municipal elections. By 10pm
May 6th, the SDP had received 2o percent, or 4,315 votes, the
Democratic Action Party (SDA) got 2,587 and the Bosniak Democratic Community
(BDZ). According to the same source, the SDP also received the most votes in
Prijepolje while the SDA won in Sjenica and Tutin. Representatives of Muamer
Zukorlić stated that his greatest support came from Sandžak based
municipalities.
The Belgrade parliament will look as follows: 73 seats went to the “Turn
Serbia” coalition lead by Nikolić’s Progressive Party (SNS), the coalition “For
a Better Life” lead by Tadić’s (DS) received 68 seats. The third strongest
coalition is centered around Ivica Dačić’s Sociaist Party (SPS) with 45,
followed by the “Reversal” coalition lead by Čedomir Jovanović with 20 seats. 16
members will represent the “United Regions of Serbia” movement, the “Alliance
of Vojvodinian Hungarians” have five representatives, the “Democratic Action
Party” of Sandžak and the coalition “Together” will each have one seat.
The German
analysis portal “Deutsche Welle” (German Wave) explained that overall, Serbia
did not stray far from its political course regarding its elections. Voters
decided to stay on the course toward EU integration. Serbs, in other words have
put continued trust in the parties that hitherto represented their interests.
This comes despite Serbia’s current situation. The country is crushed under the
weight of the economic crisis, unemployment has reached unprecedented heights, and
people are not being paid regularly, corruption blossoms. Nevertheless, Boris
Tadić (DS) has good chances to renew his mandate as president in coalition with
Ivica Dačić (SPS). In all, Milošević’s successors appear to be the biggest
successors of the parliamentary elections as the SPS recorded the largest voter
increase. They are now confident to start new negotiations regarding their coalition.
SPS leader Ivica Dačić who until now was minister of the interior could now
become a strong competitor to Tadić. Meanwhile, Tomislav Nikolić’s SNS is not
likely to take over the government. Serbian voters, amidst the widespread
economic misery, opted for the lesser evil. Voters know what to expect while
strong headway toward EU accession is probable. Also, one can expect continued
dialogue and normalization of relations with Kosovo. The EU will likely ask of
Serbia to discontinue the parallel institutions and to abandon her influence
there. Nevertheless, the DS’s loss of 1/3 of the vote illustrates that voters are
disappointed with the ruling coalition’s efforts regarding the slow economy. The
government’s main task will be to reform Serbia’s political climate and further
pursue EU accession. The judicial system has to be reformed, firms must be
privatized and corruption and the organized crime must be fought more
effectively. For all these reasons, it will be interesting to see how the
presidential race will play out between Nikolić and Tadić. Tadić has a slight
advantage, but also good chances that the socialists will support him. However,
it is not sure yet that he will be re-elected. Even if Nikolić were to win the
second round, it would not be so fateful for Serbia’s elections. Nikolić’s
party has not yet rid itself from its dark past. After breaking away from he
radical party lead by Vojislav Šešelj, the party has not dealt with its past in
which it supported paramilitary troops during the 1990’s war. However, the
schism was only tactically as Nikolić is unable to govern for as long as Šeśelj
is in The Hague. But, even if Nikolić were to win the elections, Serbia’s way
toward the EU would not be jeopardized.
According to the
Rijaset of Serbia’s Islamic Community, the election results in Serbia
illustrate that mufti Muamer Zukorlić does not enjoy support in Sandźak. All
Muslims should unite within a single Islamic Community (IZ). The Rijaset
pointed out that one characteristic worth noting is that the parliamentary
elections were a victory for parties that opted for integration, and a defeat –
at all levels – for parties with radical agendas. Zukorlić who received 20
percent of the vote, so the Rijaset, is completely defeated. It is a statement
by the Bosniak community of Sandžak that they support the basic principles of
Islam that area also applicable to legal regulations. Zukorlić, meanwhile also
proved to have stepped out of the framework of these frameworks and thus ceased
to be a mufti. The Rijaset announced that thus, all conditions are fulfilled
for the reunification of Serbia’s Islamic Community. The Rijaset urged all
religious officials, imams and religious teachers to formally embrace the
unified Islamic Community. The Rijaset also called on relevant state
authorities to resolve the issue of registration of churches and religious
communities to enable equality of Serbia’s Islamic Community with all other
religious communities in Serbia.
“Ujedinjene
muslimana, bez Zukorlića”. Mondo. Accessed May 14, 2012. http://www.mondo.rs/s243810/Info/Hronika_i_Drustvo/Rijaset-_Ujedinjenje_muslimana_bez_Zukorlica.html
“Od dva zla
birači u Srbiji izabrali manje”. DW.DE. accessed May 14, 2012. http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15934022,00.html
“Democrate 68,
naprednici 73!” Kurir. Accessed May 14, 2012. http://www.kurir-info.rs/ovako-ce-da-izgleda-novi-parlament-clanak-213550
“Vesti iz
zemlje”. Beta press. Accessed May 11, 2012.
http://www.beta.rs/?tip=article&kategorija=vestiizzemlje&ida=2695603&id=&ime=
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